Cheddar Late Than Dead by Linda Reilly - 4 Stars!

 

It's winter in Balsam Dell and Carly's former classmate Klarissa Taddeo is hosting her bridal shower at the historic Balsam Dell Inn. That is, until a double booking throws some mold in the cheese and leaves Klarissa scrambling. With the venue moved to the maid of honor's family mansion and Carly creating a new delicious treat it seems the group is going to pull off the shower without a hitch. That is, until a band of groomsmen crashes the event. Klarissa is furious with her fiancé and when a loud argument ensues, everyone is shocked by what they hear. When the fiancé is later found dead at the bottom of the stairs, Carly must put her nose to the rind and save Klarissa from being the main suspect.
This is another mystery full of intrigue, suspense, great characters and lots of cheese! I love Carly and how she solves mysteries using her intellect and observation skills. The cops in this series are not dumb or seen as incompetent. Carly works with them, although grudgingly at times, and always shows them respect. The plot had enough red herrings to confuse me enough that I was surprised by the outcome in the end. I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the honor of reading this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Rules of Their Royal Wedding Night by Michelle Smart - 3 Stars!

After marrying solely for convenience and to produce an heir, Crown Prince Amadeo doesn’t expect to find such passion on his wedding night. He senses there’s more to shy Elsbeth than she reveals, but self-controlled Amadeo cannot allow emotion to distract him from his duty. Elsbeth is prepared for a loveless union, anything’s better than the cruelty she left behind. She’s unprepared for her growing feelings for Amadeo. But when her husband always follows the rules, can she convince him to break them for her?
This was an interesting romance. I was drawn to it because it was about royalty. But Elsbeth's circumstances was a little outdated in my opinion. I felt the chemistry between the two main characters, and the climax made it a satisfying read. Thanks to Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for the honor of reading this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

 

Muffin But The Truth by Ellie Alexander - 4 Stars!

Jules Capshaw and the team at Torte have been hired to cater a weekend getaway on the mighty Rogue River. The executive team at a big city firm will be rafting the Rogue’s rapids and gathering around the campfire for spooky stories, but their dysfunction quickly begins to show. Jules is happy for a brief reprieve when they zip up their lifejackets and head out in their boats, but the serenity of the scene quickly vanishes when she discovers one of the execs floating face down in the water. She’s going to have to uncover the truth before she gets pulled under.
This was a great mystery with lots of scenic splendor. Ashland, Oregon is a place I need to visit because it's so well described in this story. The characters are diabolically created to baffle you with questions about the mystery. I was surprised when the culprit was revealed. I can't wait to read the next one in this series. This review is my unbiased opinion. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this advanced reader's copy.

 

Married in Texas by Debbie Macomber - 3 Stars!

 

This book contains two stories written by Debbie Macomber: Norah- Norah Bloomfield is feeling a bit lonely these days. Her father is recovering from his heart attack, and her sisters are each busy planning their weddings. But then a Texan named Rowdy Cassidy crashes his small plane in Orchard Valley, and into Norah's life. In all Norah's nursing experience, she’s never encountered a more difficult or irresistible man. But Rowdy's connection to the Bloomfields is complicated, and Norah doesn't know if she can trust her heart to him.
Lone Star Lovin' -When Sherry Waterman arrives in Pepper, Texas, she’s definitely not in the mood for romance. But if anyone could change her mind, it’s Cody Bailman. Except the rancher seems to have no idea how to woo a woman. Fortunately, his twelve-year-old daughter has some ideas. Sherry’s definitely attracted to Cody but she needs to know if he feels the same first.
These were good little romantic stories. Even though there was really nothing wrong with them, I didn't feel the connection between the characters. I honestly didn't understand why the women wanted these men. I liked the way the character of Norah was friends with Sherry. This book got three stars because the female characters were likeable, and their stories kept my interest until the end.

The Twelve Books of Christmas by Kate Carlisle - 5 Stars!

 

In the middle of a wonderful Christmas holiday in Dharma, Brooklyn Wainwright and her husband, Derek receive a phone call from their friend Claire in Loch Ness, Scotland. The laird of the castle, Cameron MacKinnon, has just proposed to her! They plan to be married on New Year’s Day, and they want Derek and Brooklyn to be their witnesses. And while they’re visiting, Claire hopes that Brooklyn can solve a little mystery that’s occurred in the castle library—twelve very rare books have gone missing. Once in Scotland, Brooklyn starts working on the mystery of the missing books but is distracted when one of the guests is poisoned and another is killed by an arrow through the heart. Now Brooklyn and Derek must find a killer and a book thief before another murder occurs and their friends’ bright and happy future turns dark and deadly.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I love Brooklyn, she's a fantastic amateur sleuth who somehow finds dead bodies in her spare time. Derek reminds me a lot of James Bond, he's a suave character who loves Brooklyn and assists her in all of her sleuthing. Brooklyn's parents and the other side characters are very unique and fun to read about. The plot was gripping and intriguing. There were red herrings and misdirection that kept me confused until the very end. The setting, an old castle in Scotland, was very well described and added to the overall atmosphere of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and hope you will too!